National Republican., 1887-02-24
The German Elections.

Though the returns are as yet by no
means complete, several interesting and
contradictory results have been already es-
tablished. OF these the most directly i'm
portant is that the threatening war utter
ances Of kaiser, chancellor, aud soldier
have had the desired effect from a govern
ment standpoint, and that the septennate bill
may be regarded as an accomplished fact.
SO far, this is well enough for the present,
but there are strange manifestations OF
forces working in an opposite direction,
which can afford little comfort to the
friends of European peace, OF popular
liberty, or of permanent unity in Germany.
Alsace-L Lorraine has recorded an overwhelm-
ing vote of protest against the enforced
annexation, and French papers do not
minoe matters In congratulating their own
country and the disafrected provinces.
ave do not merely congratulate" says lie
Paris, 1--WE bow before them in token of
respect for their civic courage" On the
Principle that one mans food is another
mans poison, this profound satisfaction of
France is not calculated to reduce the war
feeling which prevails throughout Ger
many.
Again, the increase OF the socialist vote
TO 100000, including one.fourth of the
entire voting power Of Berlin, associated
with parliamentary representation which is
utterly inadequate to express the real
strength of this party, is a fact fraught
with greatest danger to the stability OF
any government in Germany to-day. 1t is
possible that SO great socialist vote may
teach Bismarck the necessity Of modifying
his methods and Of making new and more
popular combinations, but it is proverbially
hard for an old dog to learn new tricks, and
Prince Bismarck is not likely to take lessons
from workingmen and "theorists."
In addition to all this the success OF the
septennist party is mainly due to the direct
Interference Of the pope, ana when settle.
ment of the papal accounts is broughtup in
parliament the Teutonic mind will he
brought face to face with a policy which
may have been temporarily expedient, but
which is directly antagonistIc to the most
cherished convictions of the German people.
Prince Bismarck has never allowed h!m-
self to he hampered by any scruples which
interfered with the uniflcation of Germany.
In turn he has bullied aud cajoled, threat
ened or battered every potentate in Europe
1t is not long since he made peremptory de-
mards upon the czar for protection TO the
German population of Russia. \ few
weeks since he declared that the czll'i
friendship must be preserved at all hazards
ard bis eastern countrymen are left practi
cally without protection. The prince ha:
reiterated his statement about Canossa,
and now he is upon the high road TO that
famous retreat He has dallied with social
Ism, and is its bItterest enemy. He will &c
back over the same ground again when !
suits him, Danish the Jesuits, threaten tn,
cZsr, humor the liberals, and make over
lures to socialism. He has the strength o
a giant and is using 1t like giant, but thu
monster is blind and.cannot even yet per
ceive that he is fighting single.hande(
against the dominating forces of moderl
society.
Prince Bismarck deserves well OF hi!
countrymen, and during his lifetime vii
manage to maintain Germany In her higl
position among the nations, but lie mus
indeed be dull as well as blind, II the elec
tions Of this week have not taught him tina
disintegratng forces-over whichhe has n
Control-are undermining his imperial eai
fee; that Germany will never tolerat
another Bismarck; and that the permanenc
OF the empire must depend upon far othe
forces than tie much vaunted blood an
iron which were necessary at that empire
lirth